Chapter 11: You can be disgusting, but don’t disgust me

“Did the child suffer some kind of shock today?”

“Comrade Lin, the child’s condition has only improved slightly, you need to be careful.”

“Fortunately, the child isn’t too serious today. I’ll prescribe some medicine and give him an IV drip.”

After hearing the doctor’s words, Lin Moran’s heart finally settled.

Fortunately, the child’s condition wasn’t too serious.

But the doctor’s next words sent her plummeting.

“Your child needs surgery as soon as possible.  At his current rate of attacks, the prognosis isn’t good. If he doesn’t have surgery, he won’t live past a year and a half.”

The tears she had just stopped welled up again.

Lin Moran’s heart felt as if it were being cruelly twisted by an invisible blade, the pain unbearable. She asked, “When can Quanzhe get surgery? When will Doctor Xu be back?”

It wasn’t that she didn’t want surgery for her child, but every time they talked about surgery, something came up. Before, the child was too young and frail for major surgery.

Also, the hospital had never had the technology or a good doctor to perform the surgery.

They had finally found a highly experienced cardiac surgeon, Doctor Xu, but before he could start, he was sent for further training.  Without the best surgeon, she didn’t dare let her child have the surgery.

“Give the child medicine regularly, make sure he eats more, and build up his strength. Also, prepare more money.” After giving instructions, the doctor said, “Take him to get the IV drip now.”

Lin Moran nodded repeatedly, thanking her, “Okay, thank you, doctor.”

Then she carried Gu Quanzhe out of the doctor’s office.

Gu Quanzhe’s condition was better than before; his lips had regained some color, but he was still pale, his little face devoid of any color.

“Mom, I’m sorry. Zhezhe wasn’t good again.”

Gu Quanzhe looked at Lin Moran with teary eyes, his mouth slightly pouting, his face full of apology.

“Zhezhe is good, my Zhezhe is the best.”

Lin Moran’s heart ached for her sick child.

His understanding made her heart ache even more.

“Let me see who this little darling is that Mom is holding. Oh, it’s our big Gigi!”

A clear, teasing voice suddenly came from the dim hospital corridor.

Lin Moran looked up and saw the tall and slender Shen Haoyang walking towards her.

Shen Haoyang wore a white short-sleeved shirt, brown shorts, and black slightly heeled shoes. He held an apple and walked over with a slight smile.

Hearing Shen Haoyang’s voice, Gu Quanzhe immediately perked up.

Seeing his outfit, he quickly turned his head and hid on Lin Moran’s shoulder, wanting to cover his eyes.

Shen Haoyang was good in every way except for his clothes, which looked…feminine.

Only women wear high heels; a man wearing high-heeled shoes was strange.

Lin Moran was also uncomfortable. The last time she asked him why he dressed like that, Shen Haoyang replied: It’s a trendy look, men in the south dress like this, he’s fashionable.

Lin Moran rolled her eyes, saying she didn’t understand his fashion.

“Big Gigi, here’s an apple.”

Shen Haoyang handed the apple to Gu Quanzhe, “Moran, why didn’t you call me? If it weren’t for my connections, you two would have been stuck here tonight!”

“Let me hold Quanzhe.”

Shen Haoyang reached out to hold Gu Quanzhe, but Gu Quanzhe twisted his head again, rejecting him, “No!”

He didn’t want to be held by an uncle in high heels.

Lin Moran couldn’t help but laugh, “Forget it, I’ll hold him.”

“Then I’ll go get the medicine.”

“Okay, thank you!”

Lin Moran didn’t hesitate, handing Shen Haoyang the prescription.

Over the years, she had relied heavily on Shen Haoyang’s help.

Whenever she and Gu Quanzhe encountered problems, it was Shen Haoyang who helped them.

He was a bit unreliable, but he was genuinely kind to them.

With Shen Haoyang’s help, Lin Moran felt much more relaxed.

Although it was night, the hospital was still crowded.

The cashier and pharmacy windows were packed with people, everyone jostling together.  She couldn’t get through with the child. If they waited, they wouldn’t know how long it would take.

“Ouch, it hurts!”

“Jingyao, it really hurts.”

“I’m sorry, I called you so late, disturbing your rest.”

As Lin Moran was about to sit down and wait for Shen Haoyang, she heard a familiar, delicate voice. Looking up, she saw Xu Jingya and Gu Jingyao walking towards them.

When Gu Jingyao saw Lin Moran, his cold face clearly showed surprise.

“Moran, what are you doing here?”

Gu Jingyao asked.

Lin Moran looked at Gu Jingyao supporting Xu Jingya, a slight sneer on her lips, irony in her eyes. Their son was seriously ill, his prognosis grim, he left his son to accompany another woman, and his only question was “What are you doing here?”

“What kind of place is a hospital? How could Comrade Gu ask such a pointless question?”

Lin Moran retorted angrily.

Gu Jingyao.

“Jingyao, Moran is in a bad mood. Let’s go, the cashier is crowded. Help me queue, okay?”

Seeing Lin Moran and Gu Jingyao bickering, Xu Jingya cautiously tugged at Gu Jingyao’s sleeve, looking pitiful.

“Moran, I fell, I really couldn’t help it, so I asked Jingyao to take me to the hospital. You won’t mind, right?”

Xu Jingya looked up, her eyes misty, as if she was scared.

Lin Moran looked at her quietly, sneered, “Comrade Xu Jingya, my husband abandoned my sick son to take care of you.  Since you’ve gotten what you wanted, don’t act innocent. I haven’t said anything, don’t act like a white lotus, making it seem like I’m bullying you.”

“You can be disgusting, but don’t disgust me!”

Xu Jingya’s eyes instantly reddened. She turned to Gu Jingyao, looking extremely wronged, her voice trembling, “Jingyao, am I disgusting?”

Gu Jingyao’s brows furrowed slightly, comforting her, “Jingya, you said Moran is in a bad mood. Don’t mind her.”

“Then… okay.”

Xu Jingya smiled brightly, her eyes full of affection for Gu Jingyao, looking charming and happy, “Jingyao, thank you for comforting me.”

“Moran, Jingya is injured, I’ll accompany her to see the doctor and come back to you later.” Gu Jingyao looked up at Lin Moran.

“Gu Jingyao, go ahead and accompany your girlfriend. I don’t care!”

“By the way, Comrade Gu, we’re not divorced yet. And I’m not dead! Please don’t appear in front of me again.”

Lin Moran sneered.

She didn’t want to disturb their happiness, but their affectionate display, as if she were dead, was truly disgusting.

“Moran, do you have to say such hurtful things?”

Xu Jingya’s eyes reddened again, acting as if she had been bullied by Lin Moran.

Lin Moran clenched her fists.

If she weren’t holding her child, she would have slapped her.

She couldn’t stand her white lotus act for a minute longer.

“Oh, sister-in-law, did you fall?” A cheerful, slightly gloating voice sounded. Shen Haoyang, who had gotten Gu Quanzhe’s medicine, had arrived.

Xu Jingya’s face changed instantly upon hearing “sister-in-law.”

“Sister-in-law, don’t you have parents or siblings? If you fall, you can ask your cousin for help. Why would you ask a married man! And you even do it in front of his wife! My cousin is a martyr, you can embarrass yourself, but don’t embarrass my cousin.”

Shen Haoyang, holding Gu Quanzhe’s medicine, spoke with disdain.

Xu Jingya had dated his cousin, Song Zesheng. They had met each other’s parents and planned to marry during the New Year. Unexpectedly, Song Zesheng and his friend and comrade-in-arms, Gu Jingyao, both died on a mission.

Four years had passed since Gu Jingyao’s death, but his cousin Song Zesheng hadn’t returned.

Over the years, Xu Jingya had enjoyed the care of her maternal grandfather’s Song family, receiving the same treatment as the Song family’s daughters. They had also arranged a job for her at a food factory.

The Song family didn’t want to delay her, promising that no matter who she married, they would treat her as a Song family daughter.

Xu Jingya claimed to remain loyal to her cousin, refusing to marry anyone.

At that time, his mother, seeing how conscientious Xu Jingya was, secretly tried to match her with Shen Haoyang.  Seeing that he was only her maternal uncle’s nephew, Xu Jingya changed her demeanor, crying, “She can’t marry Haoyang. Compared to Zesheng, Haoyang…”

Perhaps feeling that her words were too hurtful, she quickly added, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say Haoyang is bad.”

Shen Haoyang felt his self-esteem had been trampled on. He angrily pointed at her nose and scolded her. Who would want her? With her commoner appearance, she should look in the mirror to see what she truly looked like!

He felt relieved after scolding her.  But his mother suffered the consequences, being severely scolded by his maternal grandfather.

After his mother was scolded, she beat him with her shoes.

Since then, whenever he saw her, he felt only one thing: hypocrisy!

There were so many excellent young men in Beijing, but Xu Jingya didn’t choose them, instead choosing Gu Jingyao, a married man.

“Shen Haoyang!”

Xu Jingya exploded, her face flushed.

“Cousin is here.”

Shen Haoyang immediately replied, then said with a smile, “Sister-in-law, shall I accompany you to see your foot?”

“This injury on your foot…” Shen Haoyang slowly examined her foot, then drawled, infuriatingly, “If you don’t see a doctor, it’ll heal itself.”

Xu Jingya gritted her teeth, her face alternating between red and white. After a few seconds, she sneered, “Shen Haoyang, you think you’re so smart?  Do you have the right to laugh at me? Don’t play yourself into a mess!  Actually, calling you ‘Nine-holed jade’ is being polite!”

Upon hearing “Nine-holed jade,” Shen Haoyang’s eyes instantly blazed with anger, his fingers rubbing against his palm, wanting to erase the embarrassing and foolish memory.

Lin Moran’s gaze fell coldly on Xu Jingya. Shen Haoyang and she had always been at odds, fighting constantly.  Usually, she wouldn’t interfere, but today, Xu Jingya’s humiliation of Shen Haoyang forced her to intervene.

“Shen Haoyang was tricked into a new circle, not of his own volition.  Xu Jingya, you’re different, you’re the ‘Nine-holed jade’ itself!”

Lin Moran retorted unceremoniously.